That, And the Consequence
by artica's-ursula
Summary: Ron was always clear with Harry's boyfriend on the consequences of hurting his best friend. Suspicion now falls on Cedric when a private photo of the two together begins to circulate. Ron is officially out for blood, though it never quite comes to that.


**Genre**: Friendship

**Summary**: Ron was always clear with Harry's boyfriend on the consequences of hurting his best friend. Suspicion now falls on Cedric when a private photo of the two together begins to circulate. Ron is officially out for blood, though it never quite comes to that.

* * *

**That, And the Consequence**

_artica's-ursula (FFN)_

_articas_ursula (AO3)_

_Written for FFN Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) forum, Assignment 8_

_Advanced Warding - Ancient Protection_

_Task two - Iron: Write about an unwelcome visitor_

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When Harry Potter spoke, it was flat and resigned.

"You're going to hurt him."

Ron Weasley, whose hand held the doorknob, stiffened and turned his head to face his best friend. It was late—probably around midnight—and Ron had hoped to sneak out without anyone the wiser.

The invisibility cloak in his hand was borrowed; so was the rage in his chest.

Harry leaned agitatedly against one of his bedposts, as restless as ever since learning of Cedric's betrayal yesterday. Their dorm mates were away for the long weekend but Harry, of course, had not left. Ever since the photo of Harry sleeping in Cedric's bed had made its rounds through the student population and then the tabloids, the dark-haired wizard had refused to leave their room.

"You shouldn't be up," Ron answered testily, without releasing his grip. "Go back to bed."

"Are you going to?" Harry persisted.

"Going to what?" came the even reply. The cold iron slipped away as Ron's hand finally fell loosely to his side. The redhead turned fully, pressing his back against the door.

"Hurt Cedric."

They stared at each other.

And Ron said: "Go back to sleep."

Harry wouldn't. "Tell me the truth."

The redhead blew a restless breath of air, regarding the other with thinly veiled impatience. "I don't want to get you involved."

"Involved? It's my problem and I'm dealing with it!"

"How?" Ron used his foot to push off from the door with a _bang_. Harry flinched. "I don't see you doing much else except letting him get away with it."

"It will go away eventually. It doesn't matter that much."

"Don't lie!" Ron hissed, pulse beating painfully in his veins. "Not when you're this upset."

"I'm fine," Harry muttered, turning away.

"Nifflershit."

Harry laughed with a hysterical sort of edge. He wouldn't stop. Not even when Ron snapped at him to.

"This isn't funny, Harry!"

The laughter gradually slowed, because Harry's shoulders were in Ron's hands now. "You're my best friend. I've got to do something about this."

"Forget it, Ron. You don't have to do anything about it. It's not that bad."

"Then come outside," Ron suggested, stepping away to gesture sarcastically towards the door.

Harry didn't move.

"See? It's not fine!" Ron seethed, shaking his head. "You haven't left this room since yesterday, Harry. So either you really are over this, or I sneak into the Hufflepuff dorms and beat the shit out of Cedric. Your pick."

The green-eyed wizard eyed him flatly. "You're being completely unreasonable. Plus, you're going to get expelled. It's just a picture."

"That," Ron agreed with false pleasantries, "and the consequen—"

"I know that!"

Ron let it go. "Don't you hate him?"

"I want…" Harry closed his weary eyes and turned away, "for everyone to just leave me alone."

A hesitant, soft knock interrupted their conversation. Both wizards blinked in consideration of the lateness of the hour. Harry paused, making no move towards it. Ron, on the other hand, reached for the door and yanked it open, revealing on the other side—who else?

"Well. Maybe you should have been a Gryffindor, coming around here after what you did," Ron grinned darkly, stepping out into the corridor and shoving Cedric Diggory back. "Who let you into the tower, anyway?"

Cedric's eyes flicked from Harry in the background to Ron in the fore. He was clearly surprised, likely having counted on the late hour as well as the long weekend for the room to clear of everyone but Harry. What he hadn't counted on was the redhead in front of him, who so happened to look close to ripping his teeth out.

For a Gryffindor, Ron Weasley was uncommonly vicious.

"Harry isn't answering my owls," Cedric answered, clearly teetering on the edge of upset. "And I'm a prefect. I know all the passwords."

"Good for you. Coincidentally, I was just on my way to beat the shit out of you."

Cedric quickly took a step back. Ron followed the movement with his eyes but nothing else. "I came to explain myself," Cedric said firmly. His eyes darted to Harry but quickly backtracked to Ron, who cracked his knuckles. "Can we have some privacy?"

"No."

"Well, can I come in?"

"Why don't you kill me first?" Ron suggested.

Cedric snapped. "I didn't give anyone that photo!"

Harry gave Cedric a flat look. "Really. Then who did? It's a bit of an incriminating angle."

Hesitating under his boyfriend's stare, Cedric softened slightly. "I didn't say I didn't take it."

Harry rolled his eyes heavenward.

The Hufflepuff's lips pressed into a thin line, advancing further into the doorway, only to be blocked none too gently by Ron. "It was supposed to be a Valentine's Day present for your photo album. Look." From his pocket, the blond withdrew a small stack of moving pictures. He showed each in turn—one with Cedric and Harry sitting together by the lake, another of Harry on his broom in search of the snitch from the most recent game against Ravenclaw. They were all like that.

"As soon as I saw the photo in Witch Weekly, I checked my trunk. In the entire stack, that was the only one gone."

Harry exhaled in a long, irritated sigh. "I'm so mad at you right now."

"I know."

In contrast to Harry's statement, however, the younger wizard conceded slightly. "They're lovely photos."

Cedric smiled slightly. "Thanks. I kind of want to throw them away now, though. They feel ruined."

Harry wordlessly extended a hand.

Keeping a wary eye on Ron, Cedric found that he was at last allowed to pass. He placed the photos in Harry's palm and waited silently for the verdict as his boyfriend flipped through them.

Eventually, Harry paused at one. Smirking, he turned it over to show to Ron. "That's a good one of you."

The moving picture captured Harry laughing in silent hysteria as Ron repeatedly attempted to retrieve his wand from where Hedwig had nicked and hidden it amongst the sticks she'd gathered for her nest in the windowsill nearest Harry's bed. The snowy owl mutely fended off his attempts with a sharp beak as a small and startlingly ugly owlet peaked out from beneath her right wing.

The redhead rolled his eyes, pulling the door shut. He walked back into the room and tossed the invisibility cloak onto Harry's bed as he went. "I'm going back to sleep. No hard feelings, mate."

"Yeah," Cedric grimaced, rubbing his shoulder where Ron briefly but tightly clapped it in passing.

Still fully dressed, Ron was nearly asleep when he heard a brief exchange close by.

"You know, I don't think he likes me."

"It's not that. It's just… when he said you could have been in Gryffindor for bravery? Ron could have been in Hufflepuff for loyalty."


End file.
